Camera control print medium

ABSTRACT

A camera control card designed for use with a digital camera and a number of image manipulation cards. The digital camera has a card reader, an image sensor designed to capture an original image, and a controllable image manipulator designed to manipulate the original image to form a manipulated image. The image manipulation cards each have a surface with at least one encoded image manipulation instruction on it. The camera control card has a surface with at least one encoded camera control instruction on it. The camera control instruction is designed to be readable by the card reader in the digital camera. The camera control instruction is also designed, when read by the card reader, to cause the controllable image manipulator to perform at least one operation in relation to the image manipulation cards when the image manipulation cards are subsequently read by the card reader.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/112,790 filed Jul. 10, 1998, now granted U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,008.

The following Australian provisional patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference. For the purposes of location and identification, US patents/patent applications identified by their US patent/patent application Ser. Nos. are listed alongside the Australian applications from which the US patents/patent applications claim the right of priority.

Cross-Referenced U.S. Pat. No./patent Australian application Ser. No. Provisional (Claiming Right of Patent Priority from Australian Docket Application No. Provisional Application) No. PO7991 6750901 ART01US PO8505 6476863 ART02US PO7988 6788336 ART03US PO9395 6322181 ART04US PO8017 6597817 ART06US PO8014 6227648 ART07US PO8025 6727948 ART08US PO8032 6690419 ART09US PO7999 6727951 ART10US PO8030 6196541 ART13US PO7997 6195150 ART15US PO7979 6362868 ART16US PO7978 6831681 ART18US PO7982 6431669 ART19US PO7989 6362869 ART20US PO8019 6472052 ART21US PO7980 6356715 ART22US PO8018 6894694 ART24US PO7938 6636216 ART25US PO8016 6366693 ART26US PO8024 6329990 ART27US PO7939 6459495 ART29US PO8501 6137500 ART30US PO8500 6690416 ART31US PO7987 7050143 ART32US PO8022 6398328 ART33US PO8497 7110024 ART34US PO8020 6431704 ART38US PO8504 6879341 ART42US PO8000 6415054 ART43US PO7934 6665454 ART45US PO7990 6542645 ART46US PO8499 6486886 ART47US PO8502 6381361 ART48US PO7981 6317192 ART50US PO7986 6850274 ART51US PO7983 09/113054 ART52US PO8026 6646757 ART53US PO8028 6624848 ART56US PO9394 6357135 ART57US PO9397 6271931 ART59US PO9398 6353772 ART60US PO9399 6106147 ART61US PO9400 6665008 ART62US PO9401 6304291 ART63US PO9403 6305770 ART65US PO9405 6289262 ART66US PO9959 6315200 ART68US PP1397 6217165 ART69US PP2370 6786420 DOT01US PP8003 6350023 Fluid01US PO8005 6318849 Fluid02US PO8066 6227652 IJ01US PO8072 6213588 IJ02US PO8040 6213589 IJ03US PO8071 6231163 IJ04US PO8047 6247795 IJ05US PO8035 6394581 IJ06US PO8044 6244691 IJ07US PO8063 6257704 IJ08US PO8057 6416168 IJ09US PO8056 6220694 IJ10US PO8069 6257705 IJ11US PO8049 6247794 IJ12US PO8036 6234610 IJ13US PO8048 6247793 IJ14US PO8070 6264306 IJ15US PO8067 6241342 IJ16US PO8001 6247792 IJ17US PO8038 6264307 IJ18US PO8033 6254220 IJ19US PO8002 6234611 IJ20US PO8068 6302528 IJ21US PO8062 6283582 IJ22US PO8034 6239821 IJ23US PO8039 6338547 IJ24US PO8041 6247796 IJ25US PO8004 6557977 IJ26US PO8037 6390603 IJ27US PO8043 6362843 IJ28US PO8042 6293653 IJ29US PO8064 6312107 IJ30US PO9389 6227653 IJ31US PO9391 6234609 IJ32US PP0888 6238040 IJ33US PP0891 6188415 IJ34US PP0890 6227654 IJ35US PP0873 6209989 IJ36US PP0993 6247791 IJ37US PP0890 6336710 IJ38US PP1398 6217153 IJ39US PP2592 6416167 IJ40US PP2593 6243113 IJ41US PP3991 6283581 IJ42US PP3987 6247790 IJ43US PP3985 6260953 IJ44US PP3983 6267469 IJ45US PO7935 6224780 IJM01US PO7936 6235212 IJM02US PO7937 6280643 IJM03US PO8061 6284147 IJM04US PO8054 6214244 IJM05US PO8065 6071750 IJM06US PO8055 6267905 IJM07US PO8053 6251298 IJM08US PO8078 6258285 IJM09US PO7933 6225138 IJM10US PO7950 6241904 IJM11US PO7949 6299786 IJM12US PO8060 6866789 IJM13US PO8059 6231773 IJM14US PO8073 6190931 IJM15US PO8076 6248249 IJM16US PO8075 6290862 1JM17US PO8079 6241906 IJM18US PO8050 6565762 IJM19US PO8052 6241905 IJM20US PO7948 6451216 IJM21US PO7951 6231772 IJM22US PO8074 6274056 IJM23US PO7941 6290861 IJM24US PO8077 6248248 IJM25US PO8058 6306671 IJM26US PO8051 6331258 IJM27US PO8045 6110754 IJM28US PO7952 6294101 IJM29US PO8046 6416679 IJM30US PO9390 6264849 IJM31US PO9392 6254793 IJM32US PP0889 6235211 IJM35US PP0887 6491833 IJM36US PP0882 6264850 IJM37US PP0874 6258284 IJM38US PP1396 6312615 IJM39US PP3989 6228668 IJM40US PP2591 6180427 IJM41US PP3990 6171875 IJM42US PP3986 6267904 IJM43US PP3984 6245247 IJM44US PP3982 6315914 IJM45US PP0895 6231148 IR01US PP0869 6293658 IR04US PP0887 6614560 IR05US PP0885 6238033 IR06US PP0884 6312070 IR10US PP0886 6238111 IR12US PP0877 6378970 IR16US PP0878 6196739 IR17US PP0883 6270182 IR19US PP0880 6152619 IR20US PO8006 6087638 MEMS02US PO8007 6340222 MEMS03US PO8010 6041600 MEMS05US PO8011 6299300 MEMS06US PO7947 6067797 MEMS07US PO7944 6286935 MEMS09US PO7946 6044646 MEMS10US PP0894 6382769 MEMS13US

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the operation of a digital camera device for the production of useful effects. In particular, the present invention relates to the utilisation of special cards, hereinafter called “Meta-Artcards” which are adapted to be inserted into a camera device so as to produce new and unusual effects. In particular, there is provided an Artcard for the Control of the operation of a camera device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In Australian provisional patent specification PO7991 entitled “Image Processing Method and Apparatus (Art 01)” filed 15 Jul. 1997 and Australian provisional patent specification PO8505 entitled “Image Processing Method and Apparatus (Art 01a)” filed 11 Aug. 1997, filed by the present applicant in addition to a number of associated applications filed simultaneously therewith, there is disclosed a camera system able to print out images on demand through the utilisation of an internal print head and print roll having a print media film in addition to an internal ink supply for utilisation by said camera system.

The aforementioned specifications further disclose the utilisation of a series of cards, hereinafter known as “Artcards” which are adapted to be inserted into the camera device so as to produce significant visual effects to any images captured utilising the camera device. The effects are further designed to be printed out on demand utilising the integral internal print head of the camera device.

It would be advantageous to have a system which allowed for the effective servicing and diagnosis of faults which may occur in the aforementioned camera systems. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide an alternative form for control of the camera which utilises the forgoing Artcard technologies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a series of meta cards which are adapted to uniquely control the operation of a camera device system such as that disclosed in the aforementioned patent specifications.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital camera system comprising an image sensor for sensing an image; storage means for storing the sensed image and associated system structures; data input means for the insertion of an image modification data module for modification of the sensed image; processor means interconnected to the image sensor, the storage means and the data input means for the control of the camera system in addition to the manipulation of the sensed image; printer means for printing out the sensed image on demand on print media supplied to the printer means; and a method of providing a camera control data module adapted to cause the processor means to modify the manner in which the digital camera system operates upon the insertion of further image modification data modules.

Preferably, the image modification data module comprises a card having the data encoded on the surface thereof and the data encoding is in the form of printing and the data input means includes an optical scanner for scanning a surface of the card. The modification of operation can include applying each image modification in turn of a series of inserted image modification modules to the same image in a cumulative manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic of the operation of an Artcam system;

FIG. 2 illustrates a first example modified operation of a Artcam system;

FIG. 3 illustrates a repetition card which modifies the operation of that Artcam device;

FIG. 4 illustrates a Artcard test card for modification of the operation of an Artcam device; and

FIG. 5 illustrates the output test results of an Artcam device.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiment is preferably implemented through suitable programming of a hand held camera device such as that described in Australian Provisional Patent Application No. PO7991 entitled “Image Processing Method and Apparatus (Art 01)” filed 15 Jul. 1997 with a large number of associated applications in addition to Australian Provisional patent Application No. PO 8505 entitled “Image Processing Method and Apparatus (Art 01a)” filed 11 Aug. 1997, again with a number of associated applications.

The aforementioned patent specification discloses a camera system, hereinafter known as an “Artcam” type camera, wherein sensed images can be directly printed out by an Artcam portable camera unit. Further, the aforementioned specification discloses means and methods for performing various manipulations on images captured by the camera sensing device leading to the production of various effects in any output image. The manipulations are disclosed to be highly flexible in nature and can be implemented through the insertion into the Artcam of cards having encoded thereon various instructions for the manipulation of images, the cards hereinafter being known as Artcards. The Artcam further has significant onboard processing power by an Artcam Central Processor unit (ACP) which is interconnected to a memory device for the storage of important data and images.

The basics of the aforementioned Artcam arrangement are indicated in schematic form 1 in FIG. 1. The arrangement includes a CCD sensor 2 for sensing an image or scene. Additionally, an Artcard reader sensor 3 is provided for sensing the reading of an Artcard 8 upon which is encoded image manipulation algorithms for manipulation for the sensed image. Both the CCD sensor 2 and Artcard reader 3 are interconnected to an Artcard central processing unit (ACP) 4 which provides complex computational power for manipulation of the sensed image. Additionally, a memory unit 5 is provided for the storage of images, sensed data, programs etc. Interconnected to the ACP 4 is a print head 6 for the printing out of final photos 7 on print media supplied from an internal print roll.

In the preferred embodiments, a unique series of Artcards 8 are provided for insertion into Artcard reader 3 for the unique modified control of the Artcam central processor 4. A first example is as illustrated with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 and provides for the utilisation of multiple Artcards so as to provide overlapping or multiplicative image effects. A suitable replicative Artcard is as illustrated 10 in FIG. 3 which contains on one surface thereof instructions on how to operate the camera device so as to cause the effects to be combined. The Artcard 10 contains, on the second surface thereof, instructions for the operation of the Artcam device so as to cause the combining effect. Turning to FIG. 2, there is illustrated an example of the operation of the repetition card so as to produce combined effects. The Artcam system will have a sensed or stored image 12 of a particular scene. The first step is to insert a repetition card 13 which contains a code to modify the operation of the Artcam system so as to enter a repetition mode. Next, a first Artcard 14 is inserted in the Artcard reader which results in a first effect 15 being applied to the image in accordance with the instructions on the Artcard 14. Next, the repetition card is again inserted 16 followed by a second Artcard 17 which, produces a second effect 18 which can, for example, be the placement of a text message on the image 18. Next, the repetition card is again inserted 19 before a third Artcard 20 is inserted so as to provide a further effect in the image 21. The process of FIG. 2 can be iteratively continued in accordance with requirements so as to produce a desired output image. In this way, the apparatus of the aforementioned patent specification can be utilised with an increased flexibility for the production of combined effects from single effect Artcards. Further, the user interface provided is simple and effective for the production of combined effects. Of course, many modifications can be provided. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the repetition card may only be inserted once and then a series of Artcards is inserted subsequent to the repetition card being inserted with the system resilient after printout.

Turning now to FIG. 4, there is illustrated an alternative Artcard 30 which is provided for internal testing of the Artcam system. Each Artcam system can be provided with a number of internal test routines which are stored in the internal ROM of the Artcam system. The test can be accessed by specialised function calls in the interpretive language provided within the Artcam central processor. The routines can be Artcam device specific and can, for example, include:

the printing out of test patterns to determine the operational state of the print head;

the printing out of test patterns which result in the operational manipulation of the print head (for example, printing all black) so as to clean nozzles and to set up nozzle arrangements which result in improved operation of the print head;

test patterns can be printed for later analysis so as to show the effectiveness of the operation of the print head;

Turning to FIG. 5, there is illustrated an example test output 35 which can include various informative internal data 36 in addition to the printing out of test patterns 37. The test patterns 37 can later be examined by means of automated or manual methods to determine any problems which may exist with the camera system. The preferred embodiment can be implemented through the utilisation of hard wired software routines programmed in the Artcam device and stored in ROM memory.

Of course, many refinements can be envisaged in that the routines can be updated and changed from model to model and the number of tests is virtually unlimited. In this way, the operation of the camera device can be modified in accordance with the inserted card.

It would be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the present invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive.

Ink Jet Technologies

The embodiments of the invention use an ink jet printer type device. Of course many different devices could be used. However presently popular ink jet printing technologies are unlikely to be suitable.

The most significant problem with thermal ink jet is power consumption. This is approximately 100 times that required for high speed, and stems from the energy-inefficient means of drop ejection. This involves the rapid boiling of water to produce a vapor bubble which expels the ink. Water has a very high heat capacity, and must be superheated in thermal ink jet applications. This leads to an efficiency of around 0.02%, from electricity input to drop momentum (and increased surface area) out.

The most significant problem with piezoelectric ink jet is size and cost. Piezoelectric crystals have a very small deflection at reasonable drive voltages, and therefore require a large area for each nozzle. Also, each piezoelectric actuator must be connected to its drive circuit on a separate substrate. This is not a significant problem at the current limit of around 300 nozzles per print head, but is a major impediment to the fabrication of pagewidth print heads with 19,200 nozzles.

Ideally, the ink jet technologies used meet the stringent requirements of in-camera digital color printing and other high quality, high speed, low cost printing applications. To meet the requirements of digital photography, new ink jet technologies have been created. The target features include:

low power (less than 10 Watts)

high resolution capability (1,600 dpi or more)

photographic quality output

low manufacturing cost

small size (pagewidth times minimum cross section)

high speed (<2 seconds per page).

All of these features can be met or exceeded by the ink jet systems described below with differing levels of difficulty. Forty-five different ink jet technologies have been developed by the Assignee to give a wide range of choices for high volume manufacture. These technologies form part of separate applications assigned to the present Assignee as set out in the list under the heading Cross References to Related Applications.

The ink jet designs shown here are suitable for a wide range of digital printing systems, from battery powered one-time use digital cameras, through to desktop and network printers, and through to commercial printing systems

For ease of manufacture using standard process equipment, the print head is designed to be a monolithic 0.5 micron CMOS chip with MEMS post processing. For color photographic applications, the print head is 100 mm long, with a width which depends upon the ink jet type. The smallest print head designed is covered in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/112,764, which is 0.35 mm wide, giving a chip area of 35 square mm. The print heads each contain 19,200 nozzles plus data and control circuitry.

Ink is supplied to the back of the print head by injection molded plastic ink channels. The molding requires 50 micron features, which can be created using a lithographically micromachined insert in a standard injection molding tool. Ink flows through holes etched through the wafer to the nozzle chambers fabricated on the front surface of the wafer. The print head is connected to the camera circuitry by tape automated bonding.

Tables of Drop-On-Demand Ink Jets

The present invention is useful in the field of digital printing, in particular, ink jet printing. A number of patent applications in this field were filed simultaneously and incorporated by cross reference.

Eleven important characteristics of the fundamental operation of individual ink jet nozzles have been identified. These characteristics are largely orthogonal, and so can be elucidated as an eleven dimensional matrix. Most of the eleven axes of this matrix include entries developed by the present assignee.

The following tables form the axes of an eleven dimensional table of ink jet types.

Actuator mechanism (18 types)

Basic operation mode (7 types)

Auxiliary mechanism (8 types)

Actuator amplification or modification method (17 types)

Actuator motion (19 types)

Nozzle refill method (4 types)

Method of restricting back-flow through inlet (10 types)

Nozzle clearing method (9 types)

Nozzle plate construction (9 types)

Drop ejection direction (5 types)

Ink type (7 types)

The complete eleven dimensional table represented by these axes contains 36.9 billion possible configurations of ink jet nozzle. While not all of the possible combinations result in a viable ink jet technology, many million configurations are viable. It is clearly impractical to elucidate all of the possible configurations. Instead, certain ink jet types have been investigated in detail. Forty-five such inkjet types were filed simultaneously to the present application.

Other ink jet configurations can readily be derived from these forty-five examples by substituting alternative configurations along one or more of the 11 axes. Most of the forty-five examples can be made into ink jet print heads with characteristics superior to any currently available ink jet technology.

Where there are prior art examples known to the inventor, one or more of these examples are listed in the examples column of the tables below. The simultaneously filed patent applications by the present applicant are listed by USSN numbers. In some cases, a print technology may be listed more than once in a table, where it shares characteristics with more than one entry.

Suitable applications for the ink jet technologies include: Home printers, Office network printers, Short run digital printers, Commercial print systems, Fabric printers, Pocket printers, Internet WWW printers, Video printers, Medical imaging, Wide format printers, Notebook PC printers, Fax machines, Industrial printing systems, Photocopiers, Photographic minilabs etc.

The information associated with the aforementioned 11 dimensional matrix are set out in the following tables.

ACTUATOR MECHANISM (APPLIED ONLY TO SELECTED INK DROPS) Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Thermal An electrothermal Large force High power Canon Bubblejet 1979 bubble heater heats the ink generated Ink carrier limited Endo et al GB patent to above boiling Simple to water 2,007,162 point, transferring construction Low efficiency Xerox heater-in-pit significant heat to No moving High temperatures 1990 Hawkins et al the aqueous ink. A parts required U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181 bubble nucleates Fast operation High mechanical Hewlett-Packard TIJ and quickly forms, Small chip area stress 1982 Vaught et al U.S. expelling the ink. required for Unusual materials Pat. No. 4,490,728 The efficiency of the actuator required process is low, with Large drive typically less than transistors 0.05% of the Cavitation causes electrical energy actuator failure being transformed Kogation reduces into kinetic energy bubble formation of the drop. Large print heads are difficult to fabricate Piezo- A piezoelectric Low power Very large area Kyser et al U.S. Pat. electric crystal such as lead consumption required for No. 3,946,398 lanthanum zirconate Many ink types actuator Zoltan U.S. Pat. No. (PZT) is electrically can be used Difficult to 3,683,212 activated, and either Fast operation integrate with 1973 Stemme U.S. Pat. No. expands, shears, or High efficiency electronics 3,747,120 bends to apply High voltage drive Epson Stylus pressure to the ink, transistors Tektronix ejecting drops. required USSN 09/112,803 Full pagewidth print heads impractical due to actuator size Requires electrical poling in high field strengths during manufacture Electro- An electric field is Low power Low maximum Seiko Epson, Usui et all strictive used to activate consumption strain (approx. JP 253401/96 electrostriction in Many ink types 0.01%) USSN 09/112,803 relaxor materials can be used Large area such as lead Low thermal required for lanthanum zirconate expansion actuator due to titanate (PLZT) or Electric field low strain lead magnesium strength Response speed is niobate (PMN). required marginal (~10 μs) (approx. 3.5 High voltage drive V/μm) can be transistors generated required without Full pagewidth difficulty print heads Does not impractical due to require actuator size electrical poling Ferro- An electric field is Low power Difficult to USSN 09/112,803 electric used to induce a consumption integrate with phase transition Many ink types electronics between the can be used Unusual materials antiferroelectric Fast operation such as PLZSnT (AFE) and (<1 μs) are required ferroelectric (FE) Relatively high Actuators require phase. Perovskite longitudinal a large area materials such as tin strain modified lead High efficiency lanthanum zirconate Electric field titanate (PLZSnT) strength of exhibit large strains around 3 V/μm of up to 1% can be readily associated with the provided AFE to FE phase transition. Electro- Conductive plates Low power Difficult to USSN 09/112,787; static are separated by a consumption operate 09/112,803 plates compressible or Many ink types electrostatic fluid dielectric can be used devices in an (usually air). Upon Fast operation aqueous application of a environment voltage, the plates The electrostatic attract each other actuator will and displace ink, normally need to causing drop be separated from ejection. The the ink conductive plates Very large area may be in a comb or required to honeycomb achieve high structure, or stacked forces to increase the High voltage drive surface area and transistors may be therefore the force. required Full pagewidth print heads are not competitive due to actuator size Electro- A strong electric Low current High voltage 1989 Saito et al, U.S. static pull field is applied to consumption required Pat. No. 4,799,068 on ink the ink, whereupon Low May be damaged 1989 Miura et al, U.S. electrostatic temperature by sparks due to Pat. No. 4,810,954 attraction air breakdown Tone-jet accelerates the ink Required field towards the print strength increases medium. as the drop size decreases High voltage drive transistors required Electrostatic field attracts dust Permanent An electromagnet Low power Complex USSN 09/113,084; magnet directly attracts a consumption fabrication 09/112,779 electro- permanent magnet, Many ink types Permanent magnetic displacing ink and can be used magnetic material causing drop Fast operation such as ejection. Rare earth High efficiency Neodymium Iron magnets with a field Easy extension Boron (NdFeB) strength around 1 from single required. Tesla can be used. nozzles to High local Examples are: pagewidth print currents required Samarium Cobalt heads Copper (SaCo) and metalization magnetic materials should be used for in the neodymium long iron boron family electromigration (NdFeB, lifetime and low NdDyFeBNb, resistivity NdDyFeB, etc) Pigmented inks are usually infeasible Operating temperature limited to the Curie temperature (around 540 K) Soft A solenoid induced Low power Complex USSN 09/112,751; magnetic a magnetic field in a consumption fabrication 09/113,097; 09/113,066; core soft magnetic core Many ink types Materials not 09/112,779; 09/113,061; electro- or yoke fabricated can be used usually present in 09/112,816; 09/112,772; magnetic from a ferrous Fast operation a CMOS fab such 09/112,815 material such as High efficiency as NiFe, CoNiFe, electroplated iron Easy extension or CoFe are alloys such as from single required CoNiFe [1], CoFe, nozzles to High local or NiFe alloys. pagewidth print currents required Typically, the soft heads Copper magnetic material is metalization in two parts, which should be used for are normally held long apart by a spring. electromigration When the solenoid lifetime and low is actuated, the two resistivity parts attract, Electroplating is displacing the ink. required High saturation flux density is required (2.0-2.1 T is achievable with CoNiFe [1]) Lorenz The Lorenz force Low power Force acts as a USSN 09/113,099; force acting on a current consumption twisting motion 09/113,077; 09/112,818; carrying wire in a Many ink types Typically, only a 09/112,819 magnetic field is can be used quarter of the utilized. Fast operation solenoid length This allows the High efficiency provides force in a magnetic field to be Easy extension useful direction supplied externally from single High local to the print head, for nozzles to currents required example with rare pagewidth print Copper earth permanent heads metalization magnets. should be used for Only the current long carrying wire need electromigration be fabricated on the lifetime and low print-head, resistivity simplifying Pigmented inks materials are usually requirements. infeasible Magneto- The actuator uses Many ink types Force acts as a Fischenbeck, U.S. striction the giant can be used twisting motion Pat. No. 4,032,929 magnetostrictive Fast operation Unusual materials USSN 09/113,121 effect of materials Easy extension such as Terfenol- such as Terfenol-D from single D are required (an alloy of terbium, nozzles to High local dysprosium and iron pagewidth print currents required developed at the heads Copper Naval Ordnance High force is metalization Laboratory, hence available should be used for Ter-Fe-NOL). For long best efficiency, the electromigration actuator should be lifetime and low pre-stressed to resistivity approx. 8 MPa. Pre-stressing may be required Surface Ink under positive Low power Requires Silverbrook, EP 0771 tension pressure is held in a consumption supplementary 658 A2 and related reduction nozzle by surface Simple force to effect patent applications tension. The surface construction drop separation tension of the ink is No unusual Requires special reduced below the materials ink surfactants bubble threshold, required in Speed may be causing the ink to fabrication limited by egress from the High efficiency surfactant nozzle. Easy extension properties from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads Viscosity The ink viscosity is Simple Requires Silverbrook, EP 0771 reduction locally reduced to construction supplementary 658 A2 and related select which drops No unusual force to effect patent applications are to be ejected. A materials drop separation viscosity reduction required in Requires special can be achieved fabrication ink viscosity electrothermally Easy extension properties with most inks, but from single High speed is special inks can be nozzles to difficult to achieve engineered for a pagewidth print Requires 100:1 viscosity heads oscillating ink reduction. pressure A high temperature difference (typically 80 degrees) is required Acoustic An acoustic wave is Can operate Complex drive 1993 Hadimioglu et al, generated and without a nozzle circuitry EUP 550,192 focussed upon the plate Complex 1993 Elrod et al, EUP drop ejection region. fabrication 572,220 Low efficiency Poor control of drop position Poor control of drop volume Thermo- An actuator which Low power Efficient aqueous USSN 09/112,802; elastic relies upon consumption operation requires 09/112,778; 09/112,815; bend differential thermal Many ink types a thermal insulator 09/113,096; 09/113,068; actuator expansion upon can be used on the hot side 09/113,095; 09/112,808; Joule heating is Simple planar Corrosion 09/112,809; 09/112,780; used. fabrication prevention can be 09/113,083; 09/112,793; Small chip area difficult 09/112,794; 09/113,128; required for Pigmented inks 09/113,127; 09/112,756; each actuator may be infeasible, 09/112,755; 09/112,754; Fast operation as pigment 09/112,811; 09/112,812; High efficiency particles may jam 09/112,813; 09/112,814; CMOS the bend actuator 09/112,764; 09/112,765; compatible 09/112,767; 09/112,768 voltages and currents Standard MEMS processes can be used Easy extension from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads High CTE A material with a High force can Requires special USSN 09/112,778; thermo- very high coefficient be generated material (e.g. 09/112,815; 09/113,096; elastic of thermal Three methods PTFE) 09/113,095; 09/112,808; actuator expansion (CTE) of PTFE Requires a PTFE 09/112,809; 09/112,780; such as deposition are deposition 09/113,083; 09/112,793; polytetrafluoroethylene under process, which is 09/112,794; 09/113,128; (PTFE) is used. development: not yet standard in 09/113,127; 09/112,756; As high CTE chemical vapor ULSI fabs 09/112,807; 09/112,806; materials are usually deposition PTFE deposition 09/112,820 non-conductive, a (CVD), spin cannot be heater fabricated coating, and followed with from a conductive evaporation high temperature material is PTFE is a (above 350° C.) incorporated. A 50 candidate for processing μm long PTFE bend low dielectric Pigmented inks actuator with constant may be infeasible, polysilicon heater insulation in as pigment and 15 mW power ULSI particles may jam input can provide Very low power the bend actuator 180 μN force and 10 consumption μm deflection. Many ink types Actuator motions can be used include: Simple planar Bend fabrication Push Small chip area Buckle required for Rotate each actuator Fast operation High efficiency CMOS compatible voltages and currents Easy extension from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads Conduct- A polymer with a High force can Requires special USSN 09/113,083 ive high coefficient of be generated materials polymer thermal expansion Very low power development thermo- (such as PTFE) is consumption (High CTE elastic doped with Many ink types conductive actuator conducting can be used polymer) substances to Simple planar Requires a PTFE increase its fabrication deposition conductivity to Small chip area process, which is about 3 orders of required for not yet standard in magnitude below each actuator ULSI fabs that of copper. The Fast operation PTFE deposition conducting polymer High efficiency cannot be expands when CMOS followed with resistively heated. compatible high temperature Examples of voltages and (above 350° C.) conducting dopants currents processing include: Easy extension Evaporation and Carbon nanotubes from single CVD deposition Metal fibers nozzles to techniques cannot Conductive pagewidth print be used polymers such as heads Pigmented inks doped may be infeasible, polythiophene as pigment Carbon granules particles may jam the bend actuator Shape A shape memory High force is Fatigue limits USSN 09/113,122 memory alloy such as TiNi available maximum number alloy (also known as (stresses of of cycles Nitinol - Nickel hundreds of Low strain (1%) is Titanium alloy MPa) required to extend developed at the Large strain is fatigue resistance Naval Ordnance available (more Cycle rate limited Laboratory) is than 3%) by heat removal thermally switched High corrosion Requires unusual between its weak resistance materials (TiNi) martensitic state and Simple The latent heat of its high stiffness construction transformation austenic state. The Easy extension must be provided shape of the actuator from single High current in its martensitic nozzles to operation state is deformed pagewidth print Requires pre- relative to the heads stressing to distort austenic shape. The Low voltage the martensitic shape change causes operation state ejection of a drop. Linear Linear magnetic Linear Magnetic Requires unusual USSN 09/113,061 Magnetic actuators include the actuators can be semiconductor Actuator Linear Induction constructed with materials such as Actuator (LIA), high thrust, long soft magnetic Linear Permanent travel, and high alloys (e.g. Magnet efficiency using CoNiFe) Synchronous planar Some varieties Actuator (LPMSA), semiconductor also require Linear Reluctance fabrication permanent Synchronous techniques magnetic Actuator (LRSA), Long actuator materials such as Linear Switched travel is Neodymium iron Reluctance Actuator available boron (NdFeB) (LSRA), and the Medium force is Requires complex Linear Stepper available multi-phase drive Actuator (LSA). Low voltage circuitry operation High current operation

BASIC OPERATION MODE Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Actuator This is the simplest Simple Drop repetition Thermal ink jet directly mode of operation: operation rate is usually Piezoelectric ink jet pushes ink the actuator directly No external limited to around USSN 09/112,751; supplies sufficient fields required 10 kHz. 09/112,787; 09/112,802; kinetic energy to Satellite drops However, this is 09/112,803; 09/113,097; expel the drop. The can be avoided not fundamental 09/113,099; 09/113,084; drop must have a if drop velocity to the method, 09/112,778; 09/113,077; sufficient velocity to is less than 4 but is related to 09/113,061; 09/112,816; overcome the m/s the refill method 09/112,819; 09/113,095; surface tension. Can be efficient, normally used 09/112,809; 09/112,780; depending upon All of the drop 09/113,083; 09/113,121; the actuator kinetic energy 09/113,122; 09/112,793; used must be provided 09/112,794; 09/113,128; by the actuator 09/113,127; 09/112,756; Satellite drops 09/112,755; 09/112,754; usually form if 09/112,811; 09/112,812; drop velocity is 09/112,813; 09/112,814; greater than 4.5 09/112,764; 09/112,765; m/s 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820 Proximity The drops to be Very simple Requires close Silverbrook, EP 0771 printed are selected print head proximity 658 A2 and related by some manner fabrication can between the print patent applications (e.g. thermally be used head and the induced surface The drop print media or tension reduction of selection means transfer roller pressurized ink). does not need to May require two Selected drops are provide the print heads separated from the energy required printing alternate ink in the nozzle by to separate the rows of the contact with the drop from the image print medium or a nozzle Monolithic color transfer roller. print heads are difficult Electro- The drops to be Very simple Requires very Silverbrook, EP 0771 static pull printed are selected print head high electrostatic 658 A2 and related on ink by some manner fabrication can field patent applications (e.g. thermally be used Electrostatic field Tone-Jet induced surface The drop for small nozzle tension reduction of selection means sizes is above air pressurized ink). does not need to breakdown Selected drops are provide the Electrostatic field separated from the energy required may attract dust ink in the nozzle by to separate the a strong electric drop from the field. nozzle Magnetic The drops to be Very simple Requires Silverbrook, EP 0771 pull on ink printed are selected print head magnetic ink 658 A2 and related by some manner fabrication can Ink colors other patent applications (e.g. thermally be used than black are induced surface The drop difficult tension reduction of selection means Requires very pressurized ink). does not need to high magnetic Selected drops are provide the fields separated from the energy required ink in the nozzle by to separate the a strong magnetic drop from the field acting on the nozzle magnetic ink. Shutter The actuator moves High speed Moving parts are USSN 09/112,818; a shutter to block (>50 kHz) required 09/112,815; 09/112,808 ink flow to the operation can be Requires ink nozzle. The ink achieved due to pressure pressure is pulsed at reduced refill modulator a multiple of the time Friction and wear drop ejection Drop timing can must be frequency. be very accurate considered The actuator Stiction is energy can be possible very low Shuttered The actuator moves Actuators with Moving parts are USSN 09/113,066; grill a shutter to block small travel can required 09/112,772; 09/113,096; ink flow through a be used Requires ink 09/113,068 grill to the nozzle. Actuators with pressure The shutter small force can modulator movement need be used Friction and wear only be equal to the High speed must be width of the grill (>50 kHz) considered holes. operation can be Stiction is achieved possible Pulsed A pulsed magnetic Extremely low Requires an USSN 09/112,779 magnetic field attracts an ‘ink energy external pulsed pull on ink pusher’ at the drop operation is magnetic field pusher ejection frequency. possible Requires special An actuator controls No heat materials for both a catch, which dissipation the actuator and prevents the ink problems the ink pusher pusher from moving Complex when a drop is not construction to be ejected.

AUXILIARY MECHANISM (APPLIED TO ALL NOZZLES) Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples None The actuator directly Simplicity of Drop ejection Most ink jets, including fires the ink drop, construction energy must be piezoelectric and thermal and there is no Simplicity of supplied by bubble. external field or operation individual nozzle USSN 09/112,751; other mechanism Small physical actuator 09/112,787; 09/112,802; required. size 09/112,803; 09/113,097; 09/113,084; 09/113,078; 09/113,077; 09/113,061; 09/112,816; 09/113,095; 09/112,809; 09/112,780; 09/113,083; 09/113,121; 09/113,122; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820 Oscillating The ink pressure Oscillating ink Requires external Silverbrook, EP 0771 ink oscillates, providing pressure can ink pressure 658 A2 and related pressure much of the drop provide a refill oscillator patent applications (including ejection energy. The pulse, allowing Ink pressure USSN 09/113,066; acoustic actuator selects higher operating phase and 09/112,818; 09/112,772; stimul- which drops are to speed amplitude must 09/112,815; 09/113,096; ation) be fired by The actuators be carefully 09/113,068; 09/112,808 selectively blocking may operate controlled or enabling nozzles. with much Acoustic The ink pressure lower energy reflections in the oscillation may be Acoustic lenses ink chamber achieved by can be used to must be designed vibrating the print focus the sound for head, or preferably on the nozzles by an actuator in the ink supply. Media The print head is Low power Precision Silverbrook, EP 0771 proximity placed in close High accuracy assembly 658 A2 and related proximity to the Simple print required patent applications print medium. head Paper fibers may Selected drops construction cause problems protrude from the Cannot print on print head further rough substrates than unselected drops, and contact the print medium. The drop soaks into the medium fast enough to cause drop separation. Transfer Drops are printed to High accuracy Bulky Silverbrook, EP 0771 roller a transfer roller Wide range of Expensive 658 A2 and related instead of straight to print substrates Complex patent applications the print medium. A can be used construction Tektronix hot melt transfer roller can Ink can be dried piezoelectric ink jet also be used for on the transfer Any of USSN proximity drop roller 09/112,751; 09/112,787; separation. 09/112,802; 09/112,803; 09/113,097; 09/113,099; 09/113,084; 09/113,066; 09/112,778; 09/112,779; 09/113,077; 09/113,061; 09/112,818; 09/112,816; 09/112,772; 09/112,819; 09/112,815; 09/113,096; 09/113,068; 09/113,095; 09/112,808; 09/112,809; 09/112,780; 09/113,083; 09/113,121; 09/113,122; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 Electro- An electric field is Low power Field strength Silverbrook, EP 0771 static used to accelerate Simple print required for 658 A2 and related selected drops head separation of patent applications towards the print construction small drops is Tone-Jet medium. near or above air breakdown Direct A magnetic field is Low power Requires Silverbrook, EP 0771 magnetic used to accelerate Simple print magnetic ink 658 A2 and related field selected drops of head Requires strong patent applications magnetic ink construction magnetic field towards the print medium. Cross The print head is Does not Requires external USSN 09/113,099; magnetic placed in a constant require magnet 09/112,819 field magnetic field. The magnetic Current densities Lorenz force in a materials to be may be high, current carrying integrated in the resulting in wire is used to move print head electromigration the actuator. manufacturing problems process Pulsed A pulsed magnetic Very low power Complex print USSN 09/112,779 magnetic field is used to operation is head construction field cyclically attract a possible Magnetic paddle, which Small print head materials pushes on the ink. size required in print A small actuator head moves a catch, which selectively prevents the paddle from moving.

ACTUATOR AMPLIFICATION OR MODIFICATION METHOD Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples None No actuator Operational Many actuator Thermal Bubble InkJet mechanical simplicity mechanisms USSN 09/112,751; amplification is have 09/112,787; 09/113,099; used. The actuator insufficient 09/113,084; 09/112,819; directly drives the travel, or 09/113,121; 09/113,122 drop ejection insufficient process. force, to efficiently drive the drop ejection process Differential An actuator material Provides greater High stresses Piezoelectric expansion expands more on travel in a are involved USSN 09/112,802; bend one side than on the reduced print Care must be 09/112,778; 09/112,815; actuator other. The head area taken that the 09/113,096; 09/113,068; expansion may be materials do not 09/113,095; 09/112,808; thermal, delaminate 09/112,809; 09/112,780; piezoelectric, Residual bend 09/113,083; 09/112,793; magnetostrictive, or resulting from 09/113,128; 09/113,127; other mechanism. high 09/112,756; 09/112,755; The bend actuator temperature or 09/112,754; 09/112,811; converts a high high stress 09/112,812; 09/112,813; force low travel during 09/112,814; 09/112,764; actuator mechanism formation 09/112,765; 09/112,767; to high travel, lower 09/112,768; 09/112,807; force mechanism. 09/112,806; 09/112,820 Transient A trilayer bend Very good High stresses USSN 09/112,767; bend actuator where the temperature are involved 09/112,768 actuator two outside layers stability Care must be are identical. This High speed, as a taken that the cancels bend due to new drop can be materials do not ambient temperature fired before heat delaminate and residual stress. dissipates The actuator only Cancels residual responds to transient stress of heating of one side formation or the other. Reverse The actuator loads a Better coupling Fabrication USSN 09/113,097; spring spring. When the to the ink complexity 09/113,077 actuator is turned High stress in off, the spring the spring releases. This can reverse the force/distance curve of the actuator to make it compatible with the force/time requirements of the drop ejection. Actuator A series of thin Increased travel Increased Some piezoelectric ink stack actuators are Reduced drive fabrication jets stacked. This can be voltage complexity USSN 09/112,803 appropriate where Increased actuators require possibility of high electric field short circuits strength, such as due to pinholes electrostatic and piezoelectric actuators. Multiple Multiple smaller Increases the Actuator forces USSN 09/113,061; actuators actuators are used force available may not add 09/112,818; 09/113,096; simultaneously to from an actuator linearly, 09/113,095; 09/112,809; move the ink. Each Multiple reducing 09/112,794; 09/112,807; actuator need actuators can be efficiency 09/112,806 provide only a positioned to portion of the force control ink flow required. accurately Linear A linear spring is Matches low Requires print USSN 09/112,772 Spring used to transform a travel actuator head area for motion with small with higher the spring travel and high force travel into a longer travel, requirements lower force motion. Non-contact method of motion transformation Coiled A bend actuator is Increases travel Generally USSN 09/112,815; actuator coiled to provide Reduces chip restricted to 09/112,808; 09/112,811; greater travel in a area planar 09/112,812 reduced chip area. Planar implementations implementations due to extreme are relatively fabrication easy to difficulty in fabricate. other orientations. Flexure A bend actuator has Simple means Care must be USSN 09/112,779; bend a small region near of increasing taken not to 09/113,068; 09/112,754 actuator the fixture point, travel of a bend exceed the which flexes much actuator elastic limit in more readily than the flexure area the remainder of the Stress actuator. The distribution is actuator flexing is very uneven effectively Difficult to converted from an accurately even coiling to an model with angular bend, finite element resulting in greater analysis travel of the actuator tip. Catch The actuator Very low Complex USSN 09/112,779 controls a small actuator energy construction catch. The catch Very small Requires either enables or actuator size external force disables movement Unsuitable for of an ink pusher that pigmented inks is controlled in a bulk manner. Gears Gears can be used to Low force, low Moving parts USSN 09/112,818 increase travel at the travel actuators are required expense of duration. can be used Several actuator Circular gears, rack Can be cycles are and pinion, ratchets, fabricated using required and other gearing standard surface More complex methods can be MEMS drive electronics used. processes Complex construction Friction, friction, and wear are possible Buckle A buckle plate can Very fast Must stay S. Hirata et al, “An Ink-jet plate be used to change a movement within elastic Head Using Diaphragm slow actuator into a achievable limits of the Microactuator”, Proc. fast motion. It can materials for IEEE MEMS, Feb. 1996, also convert a high long device life pp 418-423. force, low travel High stresses USSN 09/113,096; actuator into a high involved 09/112,793 travel, medium force Generally high motion. power requirement Tapered A tapered magnetic Linearizes the Complex USSN 09/112,816 magnetic pole can increase magnetic construction pole travel at the expense force/distance of force. curve Lever A lever and fulcrum Matches low High stress USSN 09/112,755; is used to transform travel actuator around the 09/112,813; 09/112,814 a motion with small with higher fulcrum travel and high force travel into a motion with requirements longer travel and Fulcrum area lower force. The has no linear lever can also movement, and reverse the direction can be used for of travel. a fluid seal Rotary The actuator is High Complex USSN 09/112,794 impeller connected to a mechanical construction rotary impeller. A advantage Unsuitable for small angular The ratio of pigmented inks deflection of the force to travel actuator results in a of the actuator rotation of the can be matched impeller vanes, to the nozzle which push the ink requirements by against stationary varying the vanes and out of the number of nozzle. impeller vanes Acoustic A refractive or No moving Large area 1993 Hadimioglu et al, lens diffractive (e.g. zone parts required EUP 550,192 plate) acoustic lens Only relevant 1993 Elrod et al, EUP is used to for acoustic ink 572,220 concentrate sound jets waves. Sharp A sharp point is Simple Difficult to Tone-jet conductive used to concentrate construction fabricate using point an electrostatic field. standard VLSI processes for a surface ejecting ink-jet Only relevant for electrostatic ink jets

ACTUATOR MOTION Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Volume The volume of the Simple High energy is Hewlett-Packard Thermal expansion actuator changes, construction in typically InkJet pushing the ink in the case of required to Canon Bubblejet all directions. thermal ink jet achieve volume expansion. This leads to thermal stress, cavitation, and kogation in thermal ink jet implementations Linear, The actuator moves Efficient High fabrication USSN 09/112,751; normal to in a direction normal coupling to ink complexity may 09/112,787; 09/112,803; chip to the print head drops ejected be required to 09/113,084; 09/113,077; surface surface. The nozzle normal to the achieve 09/112,816 is typically in the surface perpendicular line of movement. motion Parallel to The actuator moves Suitable for Fabrication USSN 09/113,061; chip parallel to the print planar complexity 09/112,818; 09/112,772; surface head surface. Drop fabrication Friction 09/112,754; 09/112,811; ejection may still be Stiction 09/112,812; 09/112,813 normal to the surface. Membrane An actuator with a The effective Fabrication 1982 Howkins U.S. Pat. push high force but small area of the complexity No. 4,459,601 area is used to push actuator Actuator size a stiff membrane becomes the Difficulty of that is in contact membrane area integration in a with the ink. VLSI process Rotary The actuator causes Rotary levers Device USSN 09/113,097; the rotation of some may be used to complexity 09/113,066; 09/112,818; element, such a grill increase travel May have 09/112,794 or impeller Small chip area friction at a requirements pivot point Bend The actuator bends A very small Requires the 1970 Kyser et al U.S. when energized. change in actuator to be Pat. No. 3,946,398 This may be due to dimensions can made from at 1973 Stemme U.S. Pat. differential thermal be converted to least two No. 3,747,120 expansion, a large motion. distinct layers, 09/112,802; 09/112,778; piezoelectric or to have a 09/112,779; 09/113,068; expansion, thermal 09/112,780; 09/113,083; magnetostriction, or difference 09/113,121; 09/113,128; other form of across the 09/113,127; 09/112,756; relative dimensional actuator 09/112,754; 09/112,811; change. 09/112,812 Swivel The actuator swivels Allows Inefficient USSN 09/113,099 around a central operation where coupling to the pivot. This motion is the net linear ink motion suitable where there force on the are opposite forces paddle is zero applied to opposite Small chip area sides of the paddle, requirements e.g. Lorenz force. Straighten The actuator is Can be used Requires careful USSN 09/113,122; normally bent, and with shape balance of 09/112,755 straightens when memory alloys stresses to energized. where the ensure that the austenic phase quiescent bend is planar is accurate Double The actuator bends One actuator Difficult to USSN 09/112,813; bend in one direction can be used to make the drops 09/112,814; 09/112,764 when one element is power two ejected by both energized, and nozzles. bend directions bends the other way Reduced chip identical. when another size. A small element is Not sensitive to efficiency loss energized. ambient compared to temperature equivalent single bend actuators. Shear Energizing the Can increase the Not readily 1985 Fishbeck U.S. Pat. actuator causes a effective travel applicable to No. 4,584,590 shear motion in the of piezoelectric other actuator actuator material. actuators mechanisms Radial The actuator Relatively easy High force 1970 Zoltan U.S. Pat. con- squeezes an ink to fabricate required No. 3,683,212 striction reservoir, forcing single nozzles Inefficient ink from a from glass Difficult to constricted nozzle. tubing as integrate with macroscopic VLSI processes structures Coil/ A coiled actuator Easy to Difficult to USSN 09/112,815; uncoil uncoils or coils fabricate as a fabricate for 09/112,808; 09/112,811; more tightly. The planar VLSI non-planar 09/112,812 motion of the free process devices end of the actuator Small area Poor out-of- ejects the ink. required, plane stiffness therefore low cost Bow The actuator bows Can increase the Maximum USSN 09/112,819; (or buckles) in the speed of travel travel is 09/113,096; 09/112,793 middle when Mechanically constrained energized. rigid High force required Push-Pull Two actuators The structure is Not readily USSN 09/113,096 control a shutter. pinned at both suitable for ink One actuator pulls ends, so has a jets which the shutter, and the high out-of- directly push other pushes it. plane rigidity the ink Curl A set of actuators Good fluid flow Design USSN 09/113,095; inwards curl inwards to to the region complexity 09/112,807 reduce the volume behind the of ink that they actuator enclose. increases efficiency Curl A set of actuators Relatively Relatively large USSN 09/112,806 outwards curl outwards, simple chip area pressurizing ink in a construction chamber surrounding the actuators, and expelling ink from a nozzle in the chamber. Iris Multiple vanes High efficiency High fabrication USSN 09/112,809 enclose a volume of Small chip area complexity ink. These Not suitable for simultaneously pigmented inks rotate, reducing the volume between the vanes. Acoustic The actuator The actuator Large area 1993 Hadimioglu et al, vibration vibrates at a high can be required for EUP 550,192 frequency. physically efficient 1993 Elrod et al, EUP distant from the operation at 572,220 ink useful frequencies Acoustic coupling and crosstalk Complex drive circuitry Poor control of drop volume and position None In various ink jet No moving Various other Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 designs the actuator parts tradeoffs are A2 and related patent does not move. required to applications eliminate Tone-jet moving parts

NOZZLE REFILL METHOD Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Surface This is the normal Fabrication Low speed Thermal ink jet tension way that ink jets simplicity Surface tension Piezoelectric ink jet are refilled. Operational force relatively USSN-09/112,751; After the actuator simplicity small compared to 09/113,084; 09/112,779; is energized, it actuator force 09/112,816; 09/112,819; typically returns Long refill time 09/113,095; 09/112,809; rapidly to its normal usually dominates 09/112,780; 09/113,083; position. This rapid the total repetition 09/113,121; 09/113,122; return sucks in air rate 09/112,793; 09/112,794; through the nozzle 09/113,128; 09/113,127; opening. The ink 09/112,756; 09/112,755; surface tension at the 09/112,754; 09/112,811; nozzle then exerts a 09/112,812; 09/112,813; small force restoring 09/112,814; 09/112,764; the meniscus to a 09/112,765; 09/112,767; minimum area. This 09/112,768; 09/112,807; force refills the 09/112,806; 09/112,820; nozzle. 09/112,821 Shuttered Ink to the nozzle High speed Requires common USSN 09/113,066; oscillating chamber is provided at Low actuator ink pressure 09/112,818; 09/112,772; ink pressure a pressure that energy, as the oscillator 09/112,815; 09/113,096; oscillates at twice actuator need only May not be 09/113,068; 09/112,808 the drop ejection open or close the suitable for frequency. When a shutter, instead of pigmented inks drop is to be ejected, ejecting the ink drop the shutter is opened for 3 half cycles: drop ejection, actuator return, and refill. The shutter is then closed to prevent the nozzle chamber emptying during the next negative pressure cycle. Refill After the main High speed, as Requires two USSN 09/112,778 actuator actuator has ejected a the nozzle is independent drop a second (refill) actively refilled actuators per actuator is energized. nozzle The refill actuator pushes ink into the nozzle chamber. The refill actuator returns slowly, to prevent its return from emptying the chamber again. Positive ink The ink is held a High refill rate, Surface spill Silverbrook, EP pressure slight positive therefore a high must be 0771 658 A2 and pressure. After drop repetition prevented related patent the ink drop is rate is possible Highly applications ejected, the nozzle hydrophobic Alternative for: USSN chamber fills quickly print head 09/112,751; 09/112,787; as surface tension surfaces are 09/112,802; 09/112,803; and ink pressure required 09/113,097; 09/113,099; both operate to 09/113,084; 09/112,779; refill the nozzle. 09/113,077; 09/113,061; 09/112,818; 09/112,816; 09/112,819; 09/113,095; 09/112,809; 09/112,780; 09/113,083; 09/113,121; 09/113,122; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128, 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821

METHOD OF RESTRICTING BACK-FLOW THROUGH INLET Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Long inlet The ink inlet Design simplicity Restricts refill Thermal ink jet channel channel to the Operational rate Piezoelectric ink jet nozzle chamber simplicity May result in a USSN 09/112,807; is made long and Reduces relatively large 09/112,806 relatively narrow, crosstalk chip area relying on viscous Only partially drag to reduce effective inlet back-flow. Positive ink The ink is under a Drop selection Requires a method Silverbrook, EP pressure positive pressure, and separation (such as a nozzle 0771 658 A2 and so that in the forces can be rim or effective related patent quiescent state reduced hydrophobizing, applications some of the ink Fast refill time or both) to prevent Possible operation drop already protrudes flooding of the of the following: from the nozzle. ejection surface of USSN 09/112,751; This reduces the the print head. 09/112,787; 09/112,802; pressure in the 09/112,803; 09/113,097; nozzle chamber 09/113,099; 09/113,084; which is required 09/112,778; 09/112,779; to eject a certain 09/113,077; 09/113,061; volume of ink. 09/112,816; 09/112,819; The reduction in 09/113,095; 09/112,809; chamber pressure 09/112,780; 09/113,083; results in a reduction 09/113,121; 09/113,122; in ink pushed out 09/112,793; 09/112,794; through the inlet. 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,813; 09/12,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; Baffle One or more baffles The refill rate is Design HP Thermal Ink Jet are placed in the not as restricted complexity Tektronix inlet ink flow. as the long inlet May increase piezoelectric ink jet When the actuator method. fabrication is energized, the Reduces crosstalk complexity (e.g. rapid ink movement Tektronix hot melt creates eddies which Piezoelectric restrict the flow print heads). through the inlet. The slower refill process is unrestricted, and does not result in eddies. Flexible flap In this method recently Significantly Not applicable to Canon restricts disclosed by Canon, reduces back-flow most ink jet inlet the expanding actuator for edge-shooter configurations (bubble) pushes on a thermal ink jet Increased flexible flap that devices fabrication restricts the inlet. complexity Inelastic deformation of polymer flap results in creep over extended use Inlet Filter A filter is located Additional Restricts refill rate USSN 09/112,803; between the ink inlet advantage of May result in complex 09/113,061; 09/113,083; and the nozzle ink filtration construction 09/112,793; 09/113,128; chamber. The filter Ink filter may be 09/113,127 has a multitude of fabricated with no small holes or slots, additional process restricting ink flow. steps The filter also removes particles which may block the nozzle. Small inlet The ink inlet channel Design simplicity Restricts refill rate USSN 09/112,787; compared to the nozzle chamber May result in a 09/112,814; 09/112,820 to nozzle has a substantially relatively large smaller cross section chip area than that of the Only partially nozzle, resulting effective in easier ink egress out of the nozzle than out of the inlet. Inlet shutter A secondary actuator Increases speed Requires separate USSN 09/112,778 controls the position of the ink-jet refill actuator and of a shutter, closing print head drive circuit off the ink inlet when operation the main actuator is energized. The inlet is The method avoids the Back-flow Requires careful USSN 09/112,751; located problem of inlet back- problem is design to minimize 09/112,802; 09/113,097; behind the flow by arranging eliminated the negative 09/113,099; 09/113,084; ink-pushing the ink-pushing pressure behind 09/112,779; 09/113,077; surface surface of the the paddle 09/112,816; 09/112,819; actuator between 09/112,809; 09/112,780; the inlet and the 09/113,121; 09/112,794; nozzle. 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768 Part of the The actuator and a Significant Small increase USSN 09/113,084; actuator wall of the ink reductions in in fabrication 09/113,095; 09/113,122; moves to chamber are arranged back-flow can complexity 09/112,764 shut off so that the motion of be achieved the inlet the actuator closes Compact designs off the inlet. possible Nozzle In some configurations Ink back-flow None related to Silverbrook, EP actuator of ink jet, there is problem is ink back-flow 0771 658 A2 and does not no expansion or eliminated on actuation related patent result in ink movement of an applications back-flow actuator which may Valve-jet cause ink back-flow Tone-jet through the inlet.

NOZZLE CLEARING METHOD Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Normal All of the nozzles are No added May not be Most ink jet nozzle firing fired periodically, complexity on sufficient to systems before the ink has a the print head displace dried USSN 09/112,751; chance to dry. When ink 09/112,787; 09/112,802; not in use the nozzles 09/112,803; 09/113,097; are sealed (capped) 09/113,099; 09/113,084; against air. 09/112,778; 09/112,779; The nozzle firing is 09/113,077; 09/113,061; usually performed 09/112,816; 09/112,819; during a special 09/113,095; 09/112,809; clearing cycle, after 09/112,780; 09/113,083; first moving the print 09/113,121; 09/113,122; head to a cleaning 09/112,793; 09/112,794; station. 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 Extra power In systems which heat Can be highly Requires higher Silverbrook, EP to ink heater the ink, but do not effective if the drive voltage 0771 658 A2 and boil it under normal heater is adjacent for clearing related patent situations, nozzle to the nozzle May require applications clearing can be larger drive achieved by over- transistors powering the heater and boiling ink at the nozzle. Rapid The actuator is fired Does not require Effectiveness May be used with: succession in rapid succession. extra drive circuits depends substantially USSN 09/112,751; of actuator In some configurations, on the print head upon the configuration 09/112,787; 09/112,802; pulses this may cause heat Can be readily of the ink jet nozzle 09/112,803; 09/113,097; build-up at the nozzle controlled and 09/113,099; 09/113,084; which boils the ink, initiated by 09/112,778; 09/112,779; clearing the nozzle. In digital logic 09/113,077; 09/112,816; other situations, it 09/112,819; 09/113,095; may cause sufficient 09/112,809; 09/112,780; vibrations to dislodge 09/113,083; 09/113,121; clogged nozzles. 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 Extra Where an actuator is A simple solution Not suitable where May be used with: USSN power to not normally driven to where applicable there is a hard limit 09/112,802; 09/112,778; ink pushing the limit of its motion, to actuator movement 09/112,819; 09/113,095; actuator nozzle clearing may be 09/112,780; 09/113,083; assisted by providing 09/113,121; 09/112,793; an enhanced drive 09/113,128; 09/113,127; signal to the actuator. 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 Acoustic An ultrasonic wave is A high nozzle High implementation USSN 09/113,066; resonance applied to the ink clearing capability cost if system 09/112,818; 09/112,772; chamber. This wave can be achieved does not already 09/112,815; 09/113,096; is of an appropriate May be implemented include an acoustic 09/113,068; 09/112,808 amplitude and at very low cost in actuator frequency to cause systems which already sufficient force at the include acoustic nozzle to clear actuators blockages. This is easiest to achieve if the ultrasonic wave is at a resonant frequency of the ink cavity. Nozzle A microfabricated Can clear severely Accurate mechanical Silverbrook, EP clearing plate is pushed clogged nozzles alignment is required 0771 658 A2 and plate against the nozzles. Moving parts are related patent The plate has a post required applications for every nozzle. There is risk of A post moves through damage to the each nozzle, displacing nozzles dried ink. Accurate fabrication is required Ink The pressure of the May be effective Requires pressure May be used with pressure ink is temporarily where other pump or other ink jets covered by pulse increased so that ink methods cannot be pressure actuator USSN 09/112,751; streams from all of used Expensive 09/112,787; 09/112,802; the nozzles. This Wasteful of ink 09/112,803; 09/113,097; may be used in 09/113,099; 09/113,084; conjunction with 09/113,066; 09/112,778; actuator energizing. 09/112,779; 09/113,077; 09/113,061; 09/112,818; 09/112,816; 09/112,772; 09/112,819; 09/112,815; 09/113,096; 09/113,068; 09/113,095; 09/112,808; 09/112,809; 09/112,780; 09/113,083; 09/113,121; 09/113,122; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 Print head A flexible ‘blade’ is Effective for Difficult to use Many ink jet systems wiper wiped across the print planar print if print head surface head surface. The head surfaces is non-planar or blade is usually Low cost very fragile fabricated from a Requires mechanical flexible polymer, e.g. parts rubber or synthetic Blade can wear elastomer. out in high volume print systems Separate A separate heater is Can be effective Fabrication Can be used with many ink boiling provided at the nozzle where other nozzle complexity ink jets covered by USSN heater although the normal clearing methods 09/112,751; 09/112,787; drop e-ection mechanism cannot be used 09/112,802; 09/112,803; does not require it. The Can be implemented 09/113,097; 09/113,099; heaters do not require at no additional cost 09/113,084; 09/113,066; individual drive in some inkjet 09/112,778; 09/112,779; circuits, as many configurations 09/113,077; 09/113,061; nozzles can be cleared 09/112,818; 09/112,816; simultaneously, and no 09/112,772; 09/112,819; imaging is required. 09/112,815; 09/113,096; 09/113,068; 09/113,095; 09/112,808; 09/112,809; 09/112,780; 09/113,083; 09/113,121; 09/113,122; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821

NOZZLE PLATE CONSTRUCTION Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Electro- A nozzle plate is Fabrication High temperatures Hewlett Packard formed separately fabricated simplicity and pressures are Thermal Ink jet nickel from electroformed required to bond nickel, and bonded to nozzle plate the print head chip. Minimum thickness constraints Differential thermal expansion Laser Individual nozzle No masks required Each hole must Canon Bubblejet ablated or holes are ablated by Can be quite fast be individually 1988 Sercel et drilled an intense UV laser Some control formed al., SPIE, Vol. 998 polymer in a nozzle plate, over nozzle profile Special equipment Excimer Beam which is typically a is possible required Applications, pp. polymer such as Equipment required Slow where there 76-83 polyimide or is relatively low cost are many thousands 1993 Watanabe polysulphone of nozzles per et al., U.S. Pat. No. print head 5,208,604 May produce thin burrs at exit holes Silicon A separate nozzle High accuracy is Two part K. Bean, IEEE micro- plate is micromachined attainable construction Transactions on machined from single crystal High cost Electron Devices, silicon, and bonded to Requires Vol. ED-25, No. 10, the print head wafer. precision alignment 1978, pp 1185-1195 Nozzles may be Xerox 1990 clogged by adhesive Hawkins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181 Glass Fine glass capillaries No expensive Very small 1970 Zoltan capillaries are drawn from glass equipment required nozzle sizes are U.S. Pat. No. tubing. This method Simple to make difficult to form 3,683,212 has been used for single nozzles Not suited for making individual mass production nozzles, but is difficult to use for bulk manufacturing of print heads with thousands of nozzles. Monolithic, The nozzle plate is High accuracy Requires sacrificial Silverbrook, EP surface deposited as a layer (<1 μm) layer under the 0771 658 A2 and micro- using standard VLSI Monolithic nozzle plate to related patent machined deposition techniques. Low cost form the nozzle applications using VLSI Nozzles are etched in Existing chamber USSN 09/112,751; litho- the nozzle plate using processes can Surface may be 09/112,787; 09/112,803; graphic VLSI lithography be used fragile to the 09/113,077; 09/113,061; processes and etching. touch 09/112,815; 09/113,096; 09/113,095; 09/112,809; 09/113,083; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820 Monolithic, The nozzle plate is a High accuracy Requires long USSN 09/112,802; etched buried etch stop in (<1 μm) etch times 09/113,097; 09/113,099; through the wafer. Nozzle Monolithic Requires a support 09/113,084; 09/113,066; substrate chambers are etched in Low cost wafer 09/112,778; 09/112,779; the front of the wafer, No differential 09/112,818; 09/112,816; and the wafer is expansion 09/112,772; 09/112,819; thinned from the back 09/113,068; 09/112,808; side. Nozzles are then 09/112,780; 09/113,121; etched in the etch 09/113,122 stop layer. No nozzle Various methods have No nozzles to Difficult to control Ricoh 1995 Sekiya et al plate been tried to eliminate become clogged drop position U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,413 the nozzles entirely, accurately 1993 Hadimioglu to prevent nozzle Crosstalk problems et al EUP 550,192 clogging. These 1993 Elrod et al include thermal bubble EUP 572,220 mechanisms and acoustic lens mechanisms Trough Each drop ejector has Reduced Drop firing USSN 09/112,812 a trough through manufacturing direction is which a paddle moves. complexity sensitive There is no nozzle Monolithic to wicking. plate. Nozzle slit The elimination of No nozzles to Difficult to control 1989 Saito et al instead of nozzle holes and become clogged drop position U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,068 individual replacement by a slit accurately nozzles encompassing many Crosstalk problems actuator positions reduces nozzle clogging, but increases crosstalk due to ink surface waves

DROP EJECTION DIRECTION Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Edge Ink flow is along Simple construction Nozzles limited Canon Bubblejet (‘edge the surface of the No silicon etching to edge 1979 Endo et al GB shooter’) chip, and ink drops required High resolution patent 2,007,162 are ejected from the Good heat sinking is difficult Xerox heater-in-pit chip edge. via substrate Fast color 1990 Hawkins et al Mechanically strong printing requires U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181 Ease of chip handing one print head Tone-jet per color Surface Ink flow is along the No bulk silicon Maximum ink flow Hewlett-Packard (‘roof surface of the chip, etching required is severely TIJ 1982 Vaught et al shooter’) and ink drops are Silicon can make restricted U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728 ejected from the chip an effective heat USSN09/112,787, surface, normal to the sink 09/113,077; 09/113,061; plane of the chip. Mechanical strength 09/113,095; 09/112,809 Through Ink flow is through High ink flow Requires bulk Silverbrook, EP chip, the chip, and ink Suitable for silicon etching 0771 658 A2 and forward drops are ejected pagewidth print related patent (‘up from the front heads applications shooter’) surface of the chip. High nozzle USSN 09/112,803; packing density 09/112,815; 09/113,096; therefore low 09/113,083; 09/112,793; manufacturing cost 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 Through Ink flow is through High ink flow Requires wafer USSN 09/112,751; chip, the chip, and ink Suitable for thinning 09/112,802; 09/113,097; reverse drops are ejected pagewidth print Requires special 09/113,099; 09/113,084; (‘down from the rear heads handling during 09/113,066; 09/112,778; shooter’) surface of the chip. High nozzle manufacture 09/112,779; 09/112,8 18; packing density 09/112,816; 09/112,772; therefore low 09/112,819; 09/113,068; manufacturing cost 09/112,808; 09/112,780; 09/113,121; 09/113,122 Through Ink flow is through Suitable for Pagewidth print Epson Stylus actuator the actuator, which piezoelectric heads require Tektronix hot melt is not fabricated as print heads several thousand piezoelectric ink jets part of the same connections to substrate as the drive circuits drive transistors. Cannot be manufactured in standard CMOS fabs Complex assembly required

INK TYPE Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Aqueous, Water based ink Environmentally Slow drying Most existing ink jets dye which typically friendly Corrosive USSN 09/112,751; contains: water, No odor Bleeds on paper 09/112,787; 09/112,802; dye, surfactant, May strikethrough 09/112,803; 09/113,097; humectant, and Cockles paper 09/113,099; 09/113,084; biocide. 09/113,066; 09/112,778; Modern ink dyes have 09/112,779; 09/113,077; high water-fastness, 09/113,061; 09/112,818; light fastness 09/112,816; 09/112,772; 09/112,819; 09/112,815; 09/113,096; 09/113,068; 09/113,095; 09/112,808; 09/112,809; 09/112,780; 09/113,083; 09/113,121; 09/113,122; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 Silverbrook, EP 0771 658 A2 and related patent applications Aqueous, Water based ink Environmentally Slow drying USSN 09/112,787; pigment which typically friendly Corrosive 09/112,803; 09/112,808; contains: water, No odor Pigment may clog 09/113,122; 09/112,793; pigment, surfactant, Reduced bleed nozzles 09/113,127 humectant, and Reduced wicking Pigment may clog Silverbrook, EP 0771 biocide. Reduced actuator mechanisms 658 A2 and related patent Pigments have an strikethrough Cockles paper applications advantage in reduced Piezoelectric ink-jets bleed, wicking and Thermal ink jets strikethrough. (with significant restrictions) Methyl MEK is a highly Very fast drying Odorous USSN 09/112,751; Ethyl volatile solvent used Prints on various Flammable 09/112,787; 09/112,802; Ketone for industrial substrates such as 09/112,803; 09/113,097; (MEK) printing on diffi- metals and plastics 09/113,099; 09/113,084; cult surfaces such 09/113,066; 09/112,778; as aluminum cans. 09/112,779; 09/113,077; 09/113,061; 09/112,818; 09/112,816; 09/112,772; 09/112,819; 09/112,815; 09/113,096; 09/113,068; 09/113,095; 09/112,808; 09/112,809; 09/112,780; 09/113,083; 09/113,121; 09/113,122; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 Alcohol Alcohol based inks Fast drying Slight odor USSN 09/112,751; (ethanol, 2- can be used where Operates at sub- Flammable 09/112,787; 09/112,802; butanol, the printer must freezing 09/112,803; 09/113,097; and others) operate at temperatures temperatures 09/113,099; 09/113,084; below the freezing Reduced paper 09/113,066; 09/112,778; point of water. An cockle 09/112,779; 09/113,077; example of this Low cost 09/113,061; 09/112,818; is in-camera 09/112,816; 09/112,772; consumer photo- 09/112,819; 09/112,815; graphic printing. 09/113,096; 09/113,068; 09/113,095; 09/112,808; 09/112,809; 09/112,780; 09/113,083; 09/113,121; 09/113,122; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 Phase The ink is solid at No drying time- High viscosity Tektronix hot melt change room temperature, and ink instantly Printed ink piezoelectric ink jets (hot melt) is melted in the print freezes on the typically has a 1989 Nowak head before jetting. print medium ‘waxy’ feel U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,346 Hot melt inks are Almost any print Printed pages USSN 09/112,751; usually wax based, medium can be used may ‘block’ 09/112,787; 09/112,802; with a melting point No paper cockle Ink temperature 09/112,803; 09/113,097; around 80° C. After occurs may be above the 09/113,099; 09/113,084; jetting the ink freezes No wicking curie point of 09/113,066; 09/112,778; almost instantly upon occurs permanent magnets 09/112,779; 09/113,077; contacting the print No bleed occurs Ink heaters consume 09/113,061; 09/112,818; medium or a transfer No strikethrough power 09/112,816; 09/112,772; roller. occurs Long warm-up time 09/112,819; 09/112,815; 09/113,096; 09/113,068; 09/113,095; 09/112,808; 09/112,809; 09/112,780; 09/113,083; 09/113,121; 09/113,122; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 Oil Oil based inks are High solubility High viscosity: USSN 09/112,751; extensively used in medium for some this is a signi- 09/112,787; 09/112,802; offset printing. dyes ficant limitation 09/112,803; 09/113,097; They have advantages Does not cockle for use in inkjets, 09/113,099; 09/113,084; in improved paper which usually require 09/113,066; 09/112,778; characteristics on Does not wick a low viscosity. Some 09/112,779; 09/113,077; paper (especially through paper short chain and 09/113,061; 09/112,818; no wicking or cockle). multi-branched oils 09/112,816; 09/112,772; Oil soluble dies and have a sufficiently 09/112,819; 09/112,815; pigments are required. low viscosity. 09/113,096; 09/113,068; Slow drying 09/113,095; 09/112,808; 09/112,809; 09/112,780; 09/113,083; 09/113,121; 09/113,122; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 Micro- A microemulsion is a Stops ink bleed Viscosity higher USSN 09/112,751; emulsion stable, self forming High dye than water 09/112,787; 09/112,802; emulsion of oil, water, solubility Cost is slightly 09/112,803; 09/113,097; and surfactant. The Water, oil, and higher than water 09/113,099; 09/113,084; characteristic drop amphiphilic based ink 09/113,066; 09/112,778; size is less than soluble dies High surfactant 09/112,779; 09/113,077; 100 nm, and is can be used concentration 09/113,061; 09/112,818; determined by the Can stabilize required (around 09/112,816; 09/112,772; preferred curvature pigment 5%) 09/112,819; 09/112,815; of the surfactant. suspensions 09/113,096; 09/113,068; 09/113,095; 09/112,808; 09/112,809; 09/112,780; 09/113,083; 09/113,121; 09/113,122; 09/112,793; 09/112,794; 09/113,128; 09/113,127; 09/112,756; 09/112,755; 09/112,754; 09/112,811; 09/112,812; 09/112,813; 09/112,814; 09/112,764; 09/112,765; 09/112,767; 09/112,768; 09/112,807; 09/112,806; 09/112,820; 09/112,821 

1. A plurality of camera control print media for use with a camera, the camera including an image sensor for capturing an optical image as digital image data; memory for storing the digital image data; a reader for receiving print media; and a processor operatively connected to the memory and the reader; wherein the plurality of camera control print media comprises: a first print media receivable by the reader, having printed therein or thereon encoded camera control data indicative that at least two further print media are expected to be received by the reader; and a plurality of second print media sequentially receivable by the reader, each second print media having printed therein or thereon encoded image manipulation data, wherein the image manipulation data configures the processor to manipulate at least one of the digital image data and a manipulated version of the digital image data at least partially on the basis of the image manipulation data.
 2. The plurality of camera control print media according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the encoded camera control data and the encoded image manipulation data is encoded in two dimensions on a surface of respective print media.
 3. The plurality of camera control print media according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the encoded camera control data and the encoded image manipulation data is printed on a surface of respective print media in the form of a plurality of dots.
 4. The plurality of camera control print media according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first print media and at least one of the plurality of second print media is a card.
 5. The plurality of camera control print media according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of second print media includes an initial print media and a subsequent print media, wherein the initial print media is firstly received by the reader for reading, wherein the image manipulation data of the initial print media configures the processor to manipulate the digital image data to generate initial manipulated image data, and the subsequent print media is subsequently received by the reader for reading, wherein the image manipulation data of the subsequent print media configures the processor to manipulate the initial manipulated image data to generate the image manipulation data.
 6. The plurality of camera control print media according to claim 1, wherein the first print media is configured to be received by the reader between readings of each second print media.
 7. The plurality of camera control print media according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the encoded camera control data and the encoded image manipulation data configures the processor to use at least one software routine stored in the memory of the camera.
 8. A camera for generating manipulated digital image data, the camera including an image sensor for capturing an optical image as digital image data; memory for storing the digital image data; a reader for receiving print media; and a processor operatively connected to the memory and the reader; wherein the camera is configured for use with the plurality of camera control print media of claim
 1. 9. The camera according to claim 8, wherein the camera includes a printer which is configured to print the manipulated image data. 